[9 influence; _Ed_: influence, _1633-69_] [10 grow. _Ed_: grow; _1633-69_] [14 or _1633-39_: and _1650-69_] [16 Mine. _Ed:_ Mine; _1633-69_] [18 upon _Ed:_ upon, _1633-69_] _A Letter to the Lady_ Carey, _and M^rs_ Essex Riche, _From_ Amyens. MADAME, Here where by All All Saints invoked are, 'Twere too much schisme to be singular, And 'gainst a practise generall to warre. Yet turning to Saincts, should my'humility To other Sainct then you directed bee, 5 That were to make my schisme, heresie. Nor would I be a Convertite so cold, As not to tell it; If this be too bold, Pardons are in this market cheaply sold. Where, because Faith is in too low degree, 10 I thought it some Apostleship in mee To speake things which by faith alone I see. That is, of you, who are a firmament Of virtues, where no one is growne, or spent, They'are your materials, not your ornament. 15 Others whom wee call vertuous, are not so In their whole substance, but, their vertues grow But in their humours, and at seasons show. For when through tastlesse flat humilitie In dow bak'd men some harmelessenes we see, 20 'Tis but his _flegme_ that's _Vertuous_, and not Hee: Soe is the Blood sometimes; who ever ran To danger unimportun'd, he was than No better then a _sanguine_ Vertuous man. So cloysterall men, who, in pretence of feare 25 All contributions to this life forbeare, Have Vertue in _Melancholy_, and only there. Spirituall _Cholerique_ Crytiques, which in all Religions find faults, and forgive no fall, Have, through this zeale, Vertue but in their Gall. 30 We'are thus but parcel guilt; to Gold we'are growne When Vertue is our Soules complexion; Who knowes his Vertues name or place, hath none. Vertue'is but aguish, when 'tis severall, By occasion wak'd, and circumstantiall. 35 True vertue is _Soule_, Alwaies in all deeds _All_. This Vertue thinking to give dignitie To your soule, found there no infirmitie, For, your soule was as good Vertue, as shee; Shee therefore wrought upon that part of you 40 Which is scarce lesse then soule, as she could do, And so hath made your beauty, Vertue too. Hence comes it, that your Beauty wounds not hearts, As Others, with prophane and sensuall Darts, But as an influence, vertuous thoughts imparts. 45 But if such friends by the honor of your sight Grow capable of this so great a light, As to partake your vertues, and their might, What must I thinke that influence must doe, Where it findes sympathie and matter too, 50 Vertue, and beauty of the same stuffe, as you? Which is, your noble worthie sister, shee Of whom, if what in this my Extasie And revelation of you both I see,